


Only Second Best

by Rasava



Category: Far Cry (Video Games), Far Cry 5
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-11-02 02:55:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17879747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rasava/pseuds/Rasava
Summary: A story inspired by playing co-op Far Cry 5 with a friend. What would happen if you weren’t THE deputy?





	Only Second Best

**Author's Note:**

> Mostly platonic between reader and the Seeds, comfort and angst.

It had only been three days since you and your coworkers had come to Hope County. You and your fellow rookie had been brought along with your seniors, thrown into this mad conflict. You stuck with Hudson, while Deputy Yate had taken the lead. He had been the one to arrest Joseph Seed, he is the one the Seeds were drawn to, he was the one who led the resistance. 

You just hadn’t been chosen. Even though you escaped by yourself, you helped liberate Fall’s End, and saved countless lives. Anybody you talked to would say the same thing. 

“I hope the deputy is safe, John is dangerous!”

“Heard the deputy met Faith yesterday, hope he’s okay.”

“The deputy will save us!”

You sighed as you pulled apart a flower. Your feet were dipped in the water of the Henbane, but you didn’t feel anything. You didn’t know what everyone talked about when they described the effects of Bliss. Maybe you hadn’t been exposed enough, but it hasn’t seemed to affect you so far. You hadn’t even seen Faith. Although you doubted that she would show herself to you.

The last you heard, Yate was in Jacob’s region. He had already fucked with John and Faith a little, now it was Jacob’s turn, you supposed. You had just captured a nearby outpost, and after being thanked by the few that showed up, you awkwardly excused yourself to rest by the river.

Bitterly, you watch as the flower petals floated downstream. You knew you shouldn’t be after the fame or the recognition, but for fuck’s sake, you were fighting a cult for these people! You clench your fists, cursing yourself for the jealousy you felt. Yate was being chased by psychopaths, and yet you were jealous. You laughed coldly, knowing exactly what John would tattoo on you.

Your thoughts were interrupted when you heard someone frantically calling your name. Your head snapped back, your eyes landing on a resistance member panting. “Deputy, the old jail...” He had ran fast, unable to speak properly. “The peggies are attacking the old jail!”

Eyes widening, you nodded and rushed off. Last you heard, the Sheriff was holding up in the old jail. It wasn’t far, only a couple minutes by car. Hopping into a car, you sped off.

You could see the resistance up on the wall, and the peggies were throwing themselves at it. You made quick work of the cultists with your bow and found a way in. As soon as you entered, Whitehorse noticed you. 

“Thanks, deputy.” He says between shouting out orders. “They would have gotten in without you. They’ve been attacking since I got here.” Once he had everyone doing their jobs, he finally looked at you properly. “Didn’t think you made it out.” He patted you on the back before walking off. “Make yourself useful, help these people out!”  
As soon as he left, your teeth gritted, and that familiar feeling took over you. Make yourself useful. Didn’t think you made it out. It’s always the same thing. Always second best. For once, you disobeyed an order from your sheriff. You stormed out of the jail, leaving the Henbane region in the dust. 

A few days later, and you hadn’t contacted any resistance members, or your fellow deputies, at all. Both Whitehorse and Yate had tried to talk to you through the radio, but you had gone dark. They probably assumed you were dead, or worse, taken by the cult.

You had managed to find a quiet little island, with a small shack. No cult and no resistance, only the distant sound of gunfire and the occasional air vehicle flying overhead. What was the point of fighting when neither side gave a shit about you? You desperately wanted to leave, but none of your plans were good enough. This valley was blocked off.

Last you heard, Yate had taken John, Jacob, and Faith down a few notches. He was running himself ragged back and forth, but it was smart, you think. It meant they couldn’t track him properly, never knowing which region he was in.

You sat there by the river, your arms around your knees. You spent most of your days like this, sitting from dawn to dusk. What else could you do in this fucked up place? You skipped a rock, watching it bounce across the water dipped with the night sky.

A sigh escapes you, you should probably get some sleep. It wasn’t often that you could since this started, but if you were exhausted enough, it would come. Standing up, you brush the sand from your pants and headed for the shack.

You pushed open the practically broken wooden door, and was met with a surprising face. Standing at the boarded up window, his book in hand, was Joseph Seed. With him between you and your weapons, all you could do was stare incredulously at him. 

“Welcome back, my child.” He greeted, still looking at his book. 

“I-” You couldn’t even finish you were so shocked. “What are you doing here?”

“We’ve been looking for you, child.” He replies, finally shutting the book and looking at you. His eyes, staring into your soul, made you feel weak and vulnerable. “You disappeared.”

Still you didn’t know what to say. They were looking for you? When you didn’t reply, Joseph stepped closer to you. It made you, a reflex, step back. Suddenly remembering how dangerous he was, you took a defensive stance. “Leave.” You tried your best to sound harsh, but the surprise you were feeling did nothing for you in the intimidation department.

He continued to step towards you, until you were backed into the door. You thought you couldn’t feel more cornered than you did right now, but you were proven wrong when the door swung open. Instead of the door hitting you, you were now up against a broad chest. A hand clasped down on your shoulder and you were thrown out. Landing ungracefully on your back with an oof, you were dazed before you managed to open your eyes.

There’s a truck nearby, with several peggies around it, watching you. But the more concerning part was that every single leader of Eden’s Gate were standing before you. John and Faith were both smiling at you, probably for different reasons though. Your gaze moves to Jacob, crossed arms standing by the door, he was the one who threw you. You watch as Joseph steps out of the shack, hands grasping that damn book. 

“Well.” John is the first to speak, but not to you. “You owe me $5, Jacob.”

The older brother huffs and rolls his eyes. It’s Faith, who practically floats to you, that explains. “They bet money on whether you were dead.” She sounds a little apologetic. She offers you a hand, but you only stare at it. 

You back up slightly before getting up on your own. “What’s going on?” If it had just been a group of peggies, you would have assumed they were here to kill you. But all the Heralds, and Joseph as well? It pops in your head. “You’re trying to convert me, aren’t you?” The four siblings stare at you. Joseph and Faith looked soft, but Jacob and John were eyeing you up with curiosity. “You should probably just kill me. It would be easier.”

“My child.” Joseph spoke as he once again stepped toward me. “We will never hurt you.”

You scoffed. “Tell that to my barely healed wounds your people gave me.” 

Faith was suddenly standing next to you, making you jump. She stopped you from moving away by lightly grazing her hand along your arm, touching the scars and bandages. “You’re hurt inside and out.” Her voice was so sad, but you knew better than to believe what she said or how she said it.

You took a step away. “Right…” You decided, if they didn’t want to kill you, you could try something else. “Look, I’m not interested in the resistance or your… group.” It would be better to watch your tongue is this was going to work. “Can you please just let me leave?”

Joseph gave you that stare again. “You would leave your friends, abandon them here for your own safety?”

You swallow, afraid of what he would think of your decision, but you had made it nonetheless. “I have no friends here.”

The group stared at you, some looking to the ground in respect for Joseph, he would be the one to decide. He stepped forward, and grasped your hands. “You do have friends here, my child.”

Your mouth almost dropped, but you managed to catch yourself. Was he really accepting you after what you had done, and what you had said? You had abandoned your friends, your coworkers, people in need of help, because you didn’t think it was worth it.

There was only one thing you could think to say. “Is the collapse really coming?”

One of his hands raised to rest in your hair. “Yes.”

There was no lie in his eyes. He was telling the truth, whether it was real or not, he believed it. Now you knew what to say. “How do I do it?”

John, walking forward, answered the question. “It’s as easy as saying yes.”

\---------------------------------------------  
You almost couldn’t believe it, your eyes wide as you stared across the passing landscape. You had joined Eden’s Gate. In the back of your head, you were screaming that you shouldn’t have listened to Joseph. Everyone told you he was charismatic, that he converted people through his words alone. You snort as you remember thinking how stupid those people must have been.

Joseph passed you off to John to begin, and later you would stay with Jacob and Faith, before staying with Joseph himself. Each herald wanted their mark on you, and staring at John, currently driving the truck, you were worried about what that would entail.

Soon you were pulling up at the Seed Ranch. As you exited the car, your gaze traveled to the planes in the runway. 

“A beauty, isn’t she?” John’s voice made you jump, and you follow his sight to the dark plane. You guess that’s his. 

Your eyes narrow. “You were the one who shot the bridge. Made us crash into the water.”

His stare dropped to the ground, suddenly looking unhinged. “I should have shot the truck.” The two of you locked eyes, hardened gaze at hardened gaze. Shoving your bag into your arms forcefully, he spoke again. “Welcome home.”

You thank God, only a day later, when you’re told to stay with Joseph instead. Yate was causing too much trouble in the region, the heralds were too busy and couldn’t look after you properly. Despite your protest to John that you could take of yourself, he shoved you into a truck and gave you directions to Joseph’s compound.

The two of you shared a look before you broke it off, leaving him by himself at the ranch. It only took about 10 minutes to get there, and the Father was already waiting. A peggie stood at the door, waiting for you to get out. Guess he would park it, you think as you stepped out. You look back as he did just that, leaving you with Joseph. 

Not surprisingly, he took your hands in greeting. “I apologize, child. My siblings are very busy.”

The neutral expression on your face now dropped into discomfort. You had heard things like this before. This was how it started. 

I’m too busy.

I can’t do that today.

There’s no reason for you to be here.

I don’t have time for you.

We don’t need you.

The overwhelming feeling of worthlessness overwhelmed you. Not noticing you were gripping Joseph’s hands tighter and tighter, your breathing grew faster. He asked what was wrong, but you couldn’t hear. You didn’t even feel your legs give out under you before a darkness took over you.

You didn’t know how long it took for you to wake up, but when you did, your head was pounding. You had never felt such powerful negative feelings before, that it knocked you on your ass. Had it been some kind of panic attack? Rising to sit in the bed, you place a hand over your pained head. 

You were in a small bedroom, and it seemed like you were alone. Were you still in Joseph’s compound? Looking to your side, you see several medical supplies on the table. Bandages, pills, water bottles, and a couple of packages, which you guessed were MREs. 

The room was dimly lit, and when the door opened, letting in light, you shielded your eyes. “You’ve been sleeping for several days, my child.” The voice was familiar. The door shut behind him, revealing him properly. Joseph was holding a small bowl, and he stepped closer, sitting at the chair by the bed. He held the bowl out to you, once you saw it was soup, you graciously took it. 

You took a small sip before talking. “What happened?”

He ran a hand over your forehead and through your hair. “You had a very serious attack. You passed out.”

Thinking it over, you nodded. You had suddenly felt so upset and overwhelmed. Without having felt anything like that before, it’s not a surprise that you passed out. “Thank you for taking care of me.” You huff. Well, if his siblings didn’t want you, at least Joseph still seemed interested. 

“My brothers and sister were here as well.” He says while going through the items on the table. He holds up one of the MREs. “Courtesy of Jacob.” He points to the small flower vase. “Faith.” He lets out a chuckle. “And John stopped by every day. He was a nightmare to deal with when he found out.”

Based on your shocked expression, he explained further. “They care about you.”

Your eyes drop. “It didn’t feel that way.” His eyes were probing and his face questioning. You had your reserves about telling anyone about your feelings. How you felt like no one wanted you, like no one ever cared about you first. It was selfish and it was envious. But… maybe something could be done if you just talked to someone. 

Your shoulders drop and you give in. “It’s the reason I stopped fighting. No one… cared about me. Everyone, even your siblings, were more interested in someone else.” You chuckle bitterly. “I shouldn’t feel that way, like you guys owe me, that anyone owes me, but… It didn’t feel right.” 

Joseph listened patiently, and you could even see understanding in his gaze. “We all have sinful feelings, my child. All you must do is atone and move on.” 

You weren’t really sure what to say, and Joseph saw that. Gently, he took your face in his hands and placed his lips on your forehead. “Continue to rest. As soon as you feel well enough, my siblings want to see you again.” He gazed at you fondly for a moment longer before exiting the room.

The next day you managed to keep down all the food you ate, and get some good rest. Joseph stopped by several times, and by dusk you told him you’d be ready to go out tomorrow. He had kissed your forehead again, before leaving you to rest for tomorrow. 

It was barely dawn when Faith had rushed into your room, sitting on your bed and grasping your hand. You had heard shouting from down the hall, and Joseph stepped in as well, looking hilariously flustered. “I told you she would come out when she’s ready.”

Faith, looking sheepish, rose from the bed and took a step back. Joseph walked past her, giving her a look, before he offered you a hand. Taking it gratefully, you get out of the bed. With both Faith and Joseph supporting you, the three of you exit the room. Only a few feet out your door, the hallway opens up into a big living room, where Jacob and John were standing.

Jacob had his arms crossed, and a small smile was on his face. “Welcome back, pup.”

John’s hand were behind his back. “You gave us a scare, Deputy.”

Joseph and Faith walked to stand beside their brothers. Looking at the four of them unexpectedly filled your heart. Your emotions were overwhelming you again, but this time, you were ridiculously, completely happy.

**Author's Note:**

> You can check out ko-fi.com/rasava if you want to learn more about me and get my other social media links!


End file.
